


the aftermath of pizza

by the_bisexual_disaster



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Sansa Stark/Margaery Tyrell (implied) - Freeform, Theon Greyjoy/Robb Stark (implied) - Freeform, arya is just annoyed, gendrya gift exchange, gendrys the pizza guy, pizza delivery!, sansa marg and theon are... playing cupid, this was our first collab!!!!!!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-29
Updated: 2019-12-29
Packaged: 2021-02-25 02:28:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22008493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_bisexual_disaster/pseuds/the_bisexual_disaster
Summary: Arya, Sansa, and Margaery are having a sleepover.  They order food from their favourite local place, but when they see how hot the new delivery guy is they keep placing orders so he’ll come back, and make it their mission to set him up with Arya by the end of the night.
Relationships: Arya Stark/Gendry Waters
Comments: 31
Kudos: 147
Collections: Gendrya Gift Exchange 2019





	the aftermath of pizza

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sheriffandsteel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sheriffandsteel/gifts).



“I think it’s time for us to address the elephant in the room,” Margaery announced dramatically.

Arya and Sansa looked to her, confused beyond belief.

“Who’s going to pay for the pizza?” she sighed. “What did you guys think I meant?”

“We had no idea,” replied Sansa, “but it’s Arya’s turn to get it.”

Arya turned to her sister, glaring at her in shock.

It was Sansa’s idea that they have a games night at Marg’s place, which was closer to their uni than Arya and Sansa’s own apartment was so they could spend the night if they had to. They’d also invited Jon, Robb, and by extension Theon. The boys had a tendency to show up whenever suited them best and as such, still hadn’t arrived even though Sansa insisted they arrive at 8:00.

It was now quarter to ten. They wanted to wait until the boys arrived before ordering food, but they were taking too long and the girls were beyond hungry at this point.

“Well,” Sansa explained, “last time I paid for dinner and the time before that, Margaery did, so by default, it’s your turn.”

“I wasn’t even there those times!” Arya exclaimed. “Make Theon pay for it.”

“Why Theon?” Sansa inquired. “What did he ever do to you for you to make him pay for a pizza he likely won’t even eat?”

“Exist.”

“Theon isn’t that bad,” Margaery interjected. “Joffrey Baratheon is worse.”

“You can dislike more than one person, Marg.” Arya almost felt as if her sister and said sister’s best friend were ganging up on her.

Sansa was quick to shoot down Arya’s insistence that someone else pay. “Regardless, Theon isn’t here yet, and the pizza should be arriving at any minute.”

She had barely finished speaking when a knock sounded at the door. Arya glared at Sansa as she walked up to the door. She felt kind of idiotic for being so upset about it. She didn’t like the feeling when people turned against her, even over the most trivial of things, like paying for pizza.

The delivery guy seemed familiar, and Arya was sure she’d seen him around. He was attractive. Strong, with piercing blue eyes and midnight black hair. He wore an almost sly smirk as he handed her their food.

“I feel like I’ve seen you before,” he commented in a deep voice as she took the machine he handed her in order to pay for their food. “You visit Hot Pie’s often?”

 _So that’s where I’ve seen him._ “I do, actually. I’ve seen you around there as well.”

“I take it you like pies, then.” His smirk grew to a proud grin. “Well, I made this one just for you, M’lady.”

“I doubt that,” she responded rudely, not intending to come across so strong, “and don’t call me that. Good night, sir.”

She closed the door and headed over to the kitchen to pull out a few plates for herself, Sansa, and Margaery. The boys could get their own whenever they got here. When she returned to the couch with her pizza, she noticed the two staring at her in shock.

“What, do I have something on my face?” she asked.

“Why didn’t you give him your number?” Margaery demanded.

“He didn’t… ask?”

“But he was _flirting with you_ , Arya!”

Arya scoffed. “Yeah, I bet that he does that with every female customer he meets.”

“He was _so cute_ , though,” Sansa exclaimed. “You should have at least asked for his number.”

“Maybe I considered it a bit at first,” Arya admitted, “but then he started trying too hard and I lost interest.”

Sansa sighed in defeat and went to the kitchen.

“Hey, Marg?”

“Yeah, Sans?”

“I _think_ that the pizza place _forgot_ to include dips with our order.”

Arya knew Sansa was plotting something. She’d been in the room when Margaery had called the restaurant to place their order and didn’t remember Marg ordering any dip. Besides, Sansa stated the words in such a way that Arya just _knew_ she was up to something.

“Well then,” Margaery sighed overdramatically, “I guess we’ll just need to call them again and have them bring us our dips.”

She looked to Arya. “And no eating until he comes back!”

Arya sighed.

This was going to be a long night.

**———————————————**

It was the perfect plan. At least Margaery thought so.

When they decided to order from that _pizza place_ , the last thing they expected to see was the extremely attractive delivery guy, let alone a guy flirting shamelessly with Arya, who as usual was blatantly oblivious to it.

Though, Arya wouldn’t know what flirting was even if it stared her right in the face, like in this instance where the delivery guy practically sent Arya heart eyes and she only slammed the door in his face.

Margaery could see the cogs and screws spinning inside Sansa’s head as she exchanged a look with Sansa. Sansa’s hair was thrown into a messy bun and still somehow managed to look breathtaking, a small smile pinned against her lips.

 _Damn it, Marg_. She thought. _Now is not the time to be gay_.

She exchanged another look with Sansa, the two smirking simultaneously as they watched the small exchange between Arya and the delivery guy.

“Sansa?”

“Yeah?”

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

Arya was going to blow a fuse, but Margaery reckoned she would thank her and Sansa in the long run. (Well, maybe after she killed both of them for meddling in her love life again, or lack of, but the details weren’t too important.)

Sansa smirked. “I am.”

“Then it’s done,” Margaery spoke lowly, eyes on the two of them who were still engaged in conversation. Arya looked confused. “We’re going to get them together by the end of the night.”

“It’s a deal.”

And so it began.

**———————————————**

Arya knew they were up to something. She could see it in Margaery and Sansa’s eyes. They were acting stranger than usual.

Obviously, there was the ‘ _forget the dip_ ’ thing. Which was perfectly normal, but the twitch and the look in Sansa’s Tully blue eyes certainly wasn’t. It was the way she and Margaery exchanged a look, as if they knew something Arya didn’t. (And because they always meddled in Arya’s love life, much to Arya’s dismay.) And _it wasn’_ t like the looks they usually shot each other. The non-platonic kind filled with heated stares that choked the air with sexual tension. It was the same look they shot each other when they set her up with Ned Dayne.

Margaery and Sansa set Arya up with Ned Dayne this time, last year. He wasn’t exactly a bad guy, per se, he was just boring. He was reasonably good looking. He had blonde hair and lilac eyes (Arya didn’t really have a type but she did prefer eyes that were a little lighter) and a smile that lasted for days. Too bad he was the blandest man to walk the planet.

Arya had a feeling it’s about _that guy_. A gut feeling. And Arya’s gut instincts were always right. Margaery and Sansa continued saying how the unnamed guy was flirting with her, to which she just rolled her eyes to.

She had no idea why she felt a prickling sensation thrum through her body, a wild exhilaration racing through her bones at Margaery’s words. As if she was hoping for something. As if she hoped the delivery guy was flirting with her. _Not that he was. As if._

It wasn’t like she was crushing on him or anything. It wasn’t like that at all. This was based purely on attraction. (Margaery got one thing right, he was _hot_.)

Aside from the fact that there was something awfully familiar about him, he was the most attractive person she’d ever seen in her entire life.

He had eyes that reflected the ocean, calm and resilient, yet you could see a silent thunderstorm brewing beneath it. But this was all completely hypothetical and based purely on attraction and nothing more and it wasn’t like he liked her or anything. (He certainly wasn’t flirting with her like Margaery and her sister claimed) And Arya certainly wasn’t interested in him anyway.

Arya’s thoughts of the delivery guy were briefly swept away - who she didn’t have a crush on - when the doorbell rang suddenly.

She didn’t like how excited Sansa and Margaery looked.

“Arya!” Sansa said quickly, eyes gleaming brighter than the sea. “You should get it. It’s probably the delivery guy.” Margaery elbowed her on her side and Sansa yelped, the look of recognition dawning across her face.. “...for the dips,” she let out a nervous titter. “Why else would he be here?”

Arya crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes towards her sister at her odd behaviour.

“Why don’t you get it?” Arya returned hotly.

“Because….” Sansa stammered, her mouth opening and closing like a fish before blurting out quickly, “older sibling rights!”

“Okay, boomer.”

 _HOW TO PISS SANSA STARK OFF_ : _call her a boomer._

“I’m not a boomer!” Sansa snapped, mouth hung ajar. Arya stood there with her arms crossed over her chest and smirked. “I’m not! I’m only two years older than you!”

“Okay, Sans.” Margaery snorted and ignored the glare thrown in her direction, and turned to Arya. “Arya, please can you open the door?”

And before Arya could interject a snarky retort in, Margaery said something completely irrational.

“If you open the door we won’t set you up with anyone ever again!”

“What?” Sansa hissed, disappointment evident in her eyes as she stared at Margaery in disbelief. “ _I did not agree to that_.”

Margaery leant into Sansa’s ear and whispered something in her hair, something that made Sansa suddenly start grinning. (Arya hoped it wasn’t something dirty)

“Okay, fine,” Sansa said, standing up straight. “If you open the door, we promise never to set you up.” She added, “again.”

“Fine,” Arya cast a suspicious look at them, narrowing her eyes. “I’ll open the door. The knocking is getting.. annoying..anyway.”

After giving Sansa and Margaery a final look, she swung the door open hoping this wouldn’t bite her in the ass.

When Arya opened the door, she almost groaned in annoyance.

It was him. They sent the same guy as before. She’d been hoping that they’d send a different delivery guy, but considering how it was now approaching eleven in the evening (the boys still hadn’t shown up and Arya was beginning to doubt if they ever would), it was doubtful that the restaurant had many other delivery guys to send.

The energy surrounding him was different this time. Before, he seemed friendly, if a bit unprofessional. Now, he seemed more annoyed than Arya was at her sister. The slight smirk he greeted her with the first time was gone, and his eyes were clouded with exhaustion.

“I have to apologize for them,” Arya greeted, gesturing back towards Sansa and Margaery. “Marg forgot that Sansa over there hates pizza crust.”

“It’s no problem, miss,” he replied, sounding like he’d rather be anywhere else.

She continued, on the verge of rambling as she handed him the change she’d found in Sansa’s wallet, seeing no point in using her card for a $2 order. “I also have to apologize for the way I talked to you earlier. I was rude and you didn’t deserve it.”

“Again, miss, it’s not a problem.” He proceeded to hand her the dips that Margaery “forgot” and accidentally made eye contact with Sansa, who was staring at him similarly to the way one might admire a piece of art.

He nodded in her direction. “Is she alright? She’s beginning to make me uncomfortable.”

“Ignore her,” Arya responded, glaring in Sansa’s direction for what felt like the thousandth time that night. “She’s just being stupid.”

Sansa’s look of betrayal was priceless.

His voice drew Arya’s attention away from her sister. “Well, I’d better head out then, unless there’s something else you three forgot.”

“I think… we’re good now. Thank you.”

He handed her the receipt with a small smile, more genuine than when he first arrived, and left.

She realized that she hadn’t done what Marg and Sansa so desperately wanted her to do, but she didn’t care.

Before either Sansa or Margaery could say anything, the door slammed open and Jon, Robb, and Theon filed in, obviously drunk.

Well, Theon at least was obviously drunk. Knowing Jon, he probably took on the role

of designated driver. Besides, Theon wasn’t allowed in cabs anymore.

“What’s uuppppp,” Theon slurred, stumbling onto the couch where Arya was originally sitting and lounging.

“There’s this absolutely _stunning_ delivery guy who we’re trying to set Arya up with,” Sansa replied with unbridled excitement. Arya should have known Sansa would get more people involved in her and Marg’s little scheme.

Theon gasped enthusiastically, suddenly appearing much more sober than he had mere seconds ago. “Oh, _dish_! Like what kind of stunning? Is he kind of traditionally handsome, or maybe the more rugged type? Did he flirt with her? _Did she flirt back_?”

“Do we have to be involved in this?” Robb, almost as drunk as Theon, asked from the corner. “Because I don’t want to be a part of this.”

“Me neither,” Jon added.

“Before anyone answers any of that,” Arya interrupted, “I just would like to say that I’m almost certain Sansa scared him off with her creepy stares so even if you could dream up some other reason to have him bring us something else, I doubt he’ll come back.”

“Well,” Margaery whipped out her phone, “there’s only one way to find out.”

Arya groaned. _Why can’t they just leave me alone?_

**———————————————**

Oh, for fuck sake.

It seemed like life really had it in for her. Or really, her scheming sister, her best friend and Theon did. Jon and Robb fucked off somewhere after Robb made an unoriginal joke (the “Jon knows nothing” joke was getting rather old)and Jon attempted to fight him for the slice of pizza; and in the end, neither of them had it. Theon stole it from their grasp with a smirk and it was then that Robb and Jon plotted Theon Greyjoy’s death on a summer’s day. (Mostly Jon, though. Robb wasn’t so irked and was pretending to be annoyed by Theon. Robb had a tendency to not be mad at Theon because well.. he was entirely in love with him. Robb, after all had an affinity for morons.)

Thirty minutes later, there was another sharp rap on the door. The person knocked roughly and impatiently, and from what Arya presumed there was an underlying indication of annoyance there.

Margaery called up again and said something stupid. She went ahead ahead and ordered a small olive pizza, much to Arya’s chagrin. (Theon cheered in the background because he liked olives, the weird person that he was. Arya couldn’t understand how and why her brother could be attracted to someone who liked olives.) Everyone seemed happy about the choice except her, Sansa grinned from ear to ear, so did Theon, her other siblings still were nowhere to be seen.

They were all enthusiastic because the unnamed, attractive delivery guy might come back. She had no idea why they were so excited over it. It wasn’t like the guy was going to come back. Nobody in their right mind would after Sansa’s creepy stares.

She had no idea what they were trying to gain from it. She just wanted to eat her pizza in peace and watch some terrible reruns, but apparently fate had other plans. Or really, Theon, Margaery and Sansa were trying to play fate.

“Oh my, Gods,” Margaery hissed, her voice low making sure not to attract the attention outside, they had thin walls after all. Arya learnt that the hard way. “He’s here. He’s here. He’s here!”

“Okay, Marg.” Sansa didn’t bother stifling her laughter, rolling her eyes. “You’ve said that three times.”

“Well, is anyone listening to me?” she demanded, eyes narrowed at the trio of people standing in the living room.

Arya had not moved an inch from where she stood and maintained her bored stance. She was trying very hard not to roll her eyes at everything they said. Sansa stood there making eye contact with Theon and Margaery. Margaery maintained a serious expression, as if it was fucking mission impossible. And Theon was eating a peach.

“Theon, what the fuck are you doing?”

Theon was taking a selfie (or a video selfie?), one hand curled around his base of his phone and the other grasping the blush coloured peach as he took a large bite of it, juice dripping down his chin. Arya grimaced as he swiped it off with his tongue. It was disturbing on multiple levels.

“Theon!” Margaery snapped. “We have a crisis at hand here. _He’s outside_.”

“Oh, seven hells, why didn’t you say that earlier?” Theon shoved his peach aside and wiped his hands on his trousers clumsily. He turned to Arya and winked. “Arya, you’ve got this. Go get your dream man.”

Arya glared. “He is not _my dream man_.”

The doorbell rang again. The trio stared at Arya expectantly and she sighed, muttering incoherently words under her breath.

“I hate all of you, I hope you know that.”

“Love you too!” they called out simultaneously, and Arya only rolled her eyes, heading straight for the door once again feeling a sense of deja vu overcome her.

When she swung the door open, she was greeted by the sight of the same delivery driver who no longer wore a smirk, and instead looked at her holding the pizza box in his hands. Arya caught the flicker of irritation in his eye, not that she blamed him.

She stepped outside to meet him halfway, shutting the door behind her. Arya had a feeling he probably didn’t want to step inside the house again, if she were in his position she wouldn’t want to either.

Somehow when she stepped out, her skin flooded with heat, pulse rising as she made eye contact, breathing when she caught a glimpse of how blue his ocean coloured eyes were. Eyes that she could stare into all day, but it was probably the weather and this might’ve been the lack of food in her system talking.

“Hi,” she whispered softly, but the only thing she heard back is the sound of the wind howling. (She was painfully aware that her hair looked like a bird’s nest.)

“Here you go,” he said gruffly, handing the pizza over to her.

She retrieved the pizza box carefully and smiled. Arya caught the scent of tomato, peppers and cheese and let the scent waft into her nostrils. The olive pizza smelt oddly good.

She took a sharp inhale, pulse rate going at an alarming high speed, her hands grasping the box tightly almost scared that she’d drop the entire thing. (Not that it really mattered if she dropped it since the whole pizza thing was a ploy for the delivery guy to come back, and nobody would be annoyed except Theon.)

She looked back at him and he stood there looking like he wanted to be anywhere else but here, his arms crossed over his chest.

“Hey, um,” she offered, cheeks flecked pink. Her eyes automatically drifted towards his lips, heart stuttering inside her chest.

He stared at her blankly, waiting for her to finish her sentence.

“I’m sorry about Sansa and Margaery,” she said. “And Theon. Sorry, it’s kind of embarrassing, they wanted to set you up with me.” She paused and abruptly blurted out, “obviously, I’m not interested in you like that!”

She ignored the tiny voice in her head that taunted her words since it didn’t match what her heart was saying.

A flicker of annoyance crossed his face and he scowled, gritting his teeth, eyebrows furrowed together angrily.

“Whatever,” he bit out and threw one last look towards the window and stormed off, leaving a trail of anger and annoyance behind with him. Arya looked behind her towards the window and caught Margaery, Theon and Sansa staring outside the window spying on them with binoculars - who all simultaneously hid from view.

But that wasn’t where Arya’s head was at. The cogs and screws spun around inside her head as she watched him walk away, confused at what she could’ve said that made him so mad.

And after a short while, she decided to go back inside, not wanting to stand out in the cold a second longer.

The only thought that crossed her mind is that she never knew there would be repercussions from ordering pizza.

**———————————————**

Gendry returned back to work twenty minutes later in an extremely bad mood.

He could feel the fire digging into his throat, the rise of the flame making it difficult not to barge into something as he made his way towards the counter at Hotpie’s, and towards his friend Hotpie who sat there flipping through the pages of his comic.

Thankfully, it was quiet. The silent melancholy made him feel eternally grateful since there wasn’t a customer in sight, which was probably for the best considering he wasn’t in the greatest mood.

Hotpie seeming to notice his presence looked up with a gigantic smile and put down his comic.

“What took you so long?” he said, grinning from ear to ear. Gendry only rolled his eyes at his friend. “Was it those people again?” his eyes lit up suddenly. “How did it go with Arya? Did you ask her out? Did she say yes? What did you say to her? Did you make her my signature pie? You know that always gets the ladies -”

Gendry rolled his eyes. “No, I did not.”

“No… you didn’t what?” Hotpie replied with a gasp, “You didn’t make her my signature pie recipe? Dude, no wonder no women are attracted to you.”

“Shut up, Hotpie.” Gendry glared at his unhelpful friend who continued to shoot him a grin. “No as in she doesn’t like me like that.”

Hotpie frowned as Gendry slumped on the chair beside him.

“What?”

“She doesn’t like me in that way,” Gendry said, feeling hopeless. “She told me herself, probably thinks I’m not good enough for her or something.”

Hotpie just frowned. “I sincerely doubt that.”

“She literally said ‘ _obviously I’m not into you like that_ ,’” he scoffed, feeling the bile rise up his throat as he remembered her words.

“That’s fucking bullshit.”

“Excuse me?” Gendry looked up and shot his friend a death stare, an edge of irritation flaring up inside him.

“Gendry, no offence or anything,” Gendry rolled his eyes. He was going to murder his friend if he made a statement about fucking pies. “But you’re terrible when it comes to…” he paused choosing his words carefully, “...love.”

“I’m terrible?”

“Yes,” Hotpie retorted in a matter-of-the-fact voice, crossing his arms over his chest. “Everyone knows the way to a woman’s heart is -”

“Hotpie, don’t say it. If you say those words I swear -”

“Pie.”

Gendry swears he’s going to murder his friend one day.

“Gendry, you won’t kill me.” Hotpie gave him a pointed look, the corner of his lips dipping into a stealthy grin. “I’m your only friend.”

“I fucking hate you.”

Hotpie just laughed, the sound of his infectious laughter echoing through the pizza parlour - which seemed to brighten up the place.

**———————————————**

By the time Arya walked back in, the three of them jumped from the couch and spoke in sync before she could have a chance to catch her breath. (Which they did shamelessly, despite being caught red handed spying on Arya and the delivery guy.)

“Did you ask him out?”

“Why did he leave so abruptly?”

“Why did he look so angry?”

“You know if I wasn’t so in love with your brother I’d let him dick me down anyday.”

Margaery and Sansa shot Theon a pointed look.

“Theon, can you at least be thirsty after we get the hot delivery guy with Arya?”

“Fine,” Theon muttered and rolled his eyes.

They all stared at Arya expectantly waiting for her spill everything: about the insanely hot delivery guy and why he stormed away so angrily, (why did everyone assume that Arya did something to piss someone off? She quite frankly, had no idea what she did) and what she said to the guy.

She shrugged nonchalantly and took a seat on the couch hoping it would disguise the wave of disappointment she felt.

“I don’t know,” her shoulder tilted up, her back pressed against the couch. “He just walked off…”

Margaery sat on the glass table as they all edged closer wanting to hear more of Arya’s story, which wasn’t very much.

Arya’s greeted with the silence of her thoughts. For once, nobody said anything and she felt like she was caged in her colossal thoughts. It was something she didn’t quite enjoy as she found herself entangling the twisted knots of her thoughts together, overthinking, over analysing perhaps, and replaying his departure in a loop in her head again and again.

“What happened?” Margaery said, her voice sweeter than honey.

“Why does everyone assume I said something?” Arya snapped, hands flailing up inside the air in aggravation. “I didn’t say anything, I just said …”

“Arya, what did you say?”

“I said that I’m obviously not interested in him like that,” she said slowly.

“Arya, what the fuck?” Theon cried, shoving his face in his hands, a look of disbelief etched across his face, and Margaery and Sansa mirrored his expression.

“What?”

“ _What_?”

“Arya, I love you,” Sansa said and turned to Arya. “You know I do. But you’re really fucking stupid sometimes,” she ignored the sounds of protests coming from Arya and continued speaking. “That guy obviously likes you, and you obviously like him and you kind of just told him that you don’t like him. That’s it, Arya. You have to go to his work right now and tell him.”

“If you don’t you might never get the chance,” Margaery interjected.

Theon whistled. “Yeah, or you might forever miss the chance of riding that stallion.”

Arya’s mind raced back to the beginning of the night. To the way he grinned down at her with a glint in his eye, it felt like nobody else was in the room. She remembered how she could get lost in his eyes because of how captivating they were, and how they looked as clear as the sea, a soft smile only reserved for her.

 _He liked her_. And it was more than being attracted to him. She hadn’t known why she hadn’t come to the realisation that she was crushing on the delivery guy, but it was probably to do with the fact that she never would’ve thought he would ever show an interest in her.

“I’m going to go and tell him and I’m going to ride that fucking stallion.”

**———————————————**

By the time she reached Hotpie’s, it was nearly closed. She feared that they were shut but the illuminated lights and the few people standing inside the pizza place told her otherwise.

She could feel her heartbeat skyrocketing at an unsteady pace as she walked through the door, the sound of the bell chiming as she walked in.

She still heard the sound of Theon, Margaery and Sansa’s encouraging words motivating her as she took a step further forward. Her nerves were practically tearing her apart, if it wasn’t for their motivation she probably would’ve turned the other way and ran for it.

She ignored the small voice in her head telling her it was a bad idea and moved towards the counter and she was greeted with a pair of familiar bright eyes.

Hotpie grinned at her.

“Arya!” he exclaimed, moving forward to wrap her in a tight embrace. She smiled against him, pulling away. “What are you doing here? Have you come for my infamous pie?”

His eyes brightened. “You’re here for Gendry!”

Arya honestly had no idea what Hotpie was talking about but she supposed she never really did. A lot of the things Hotpie said often were about pies. She could recite the amount of pies he made: cherry pies, apple pies, peach pies, salmon pie - because Hotpie never stopped talking about fucking pies.

“What about me?”

Arya’s heart stopped as she watched Gendry emerge from the kitchen, his face caked with damp sweat.

His eyebrows furrowed as he stared at her, eyes widening by a fraction.

“What are you doing here?”

Arya’s cheeks flushed pink feeling the attention on her. Gendry stared at her pointedly, slipping out of the counter and crossed his arms over his chest waiting for an explanation.

She could feel jitters spreading inside her stomach and against her every square inch of her skin. Her heart screamed at her to say the words she wanted to, and to apologise, but her words became choked and twisted inside of her throat when she attempted to get words out.

She took a sharp inhale.

“I’m sorry,” she said and ignored Hotpie eating popcorn and sitting on a nearby chair in her peripheral vision, and focused on Gendry who stared intently at her - whose stare made her feel like she was going to burst aflame. “I’m sorry about Theon, Marg, and Sansa being weird, and I’m sorry about what I said.”

“You didn’t mean what you said?” he scoffed, narrowing his eyes at her. “What way did you mean, then? Am I not good enough for M’lady?”

“What? No!” her eyebrows twisted together and she stared up at him, her expression soft. She took a step forward, and his gaze didn’t move away from her. “Gendry, that is not what I meant. Of course, you’re good enough, don’t be fucking stupid. I just - I was nervous, okay? I didn’t think you were interested in me.”

Gendry’s mouth hung open like a fish and Arya felt her pulse rate rise up.

“Wait...you like me?”

“Of course, I like you, dumbass.” Arya rolled her eyes at him and watched as Gendry took a step closer towards her. She could feel her heart pounding recklessly inside her chest and the adrenaline pumping inside of her veins. (And she could still see Hotpie staring at them, eating popcorn in the corner of her eye.)

“I like you too,” a ghost of a smile appeared across his lips.

Their gazes didn’t drop, and she stared at him as if he was the most valuable artefact in the room. She could feel the electricity thrumming inside the air and it felt like everything else faded to dust, and she could no longer hear the sound of traffic outside and the sound of distinct chatter and even Hotpie.

And without another second left to spare, their lips met halfway. He tasted like spearmint and citrus (and better than any kind of pizza she’s ever tasted) and she felt a flicker of a flame surge up inside her, her fingers curling around the back of his neck.

She smiled against his lips and they both pulled away, catching their breath. They ignored Hotpie as the guy let out his inner thoughts.

“Pizza?”

“No olives?”

“No olives.”


End file.
